diff --git a/roles/mirrormanager/backend/files/backend.cron b/roles/mirrormanager/backend/files/backend.cron
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c090cf20e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/mirrormanager/backend/files/backend.cron
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# refresh the mirrorlist cache at the top of the hour
+55 * * * * root /usr/bin/mm2_server/update-mirrorlist-server > /dev/null 2>&1
+
+# update master directory list
+# logs sent to /var/log/mirrormanager/umdl.log by default
+0 */2 * * * root /usr/bin/mm2_update-master-directory-list -c /etc/mirrormanager/prod.cfg > /dev/null 2>&1
+
+# Sync netblocks list once a day
+30 0 * * * root /usr/bin/mm2_get_global_netblocks /var/lib/mirrormanager/global_netblocks.txt > /dev/null 2>&1
+0 1 * * * root /usr/bin/mm2_get_internet2_netblocks /var/lib/mirrormanager/internet2_netblocks.txt > /dev/null 2>&1
+30 1 * * * root /usr/bin/mm2_update-EC2-netblocks > /dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/roles/mirrormanager/backend/tasks/main.yml b/roles/mirrormanager/backend/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..96e1bebcb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/mirrormanager/backend/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+# Configuration for the mirrormanager backend
+
+- name: clean yum metadata
+  command: yum clean all
+  tags:
+  - packages
+
+- name: install needed packages
+  yum: pkg={{ item }} state=present
+  with_items:
+  - mirrormanager-backend
+  tags:
+  - packages
+
+- name: install the cron job
+  copy: src=backend.cron dest=/etc/cron.d/mm2_backend.cron
+  tags:
+  - config